Cancer Drug Fights Macular Degeneration Video

This health video focuses on the new use for a Cancer drug, it can help thus who suffer from Macular Degeneration.Read the full transcript »

Jennifer Matthews: Her life started out like a fairy tale, born inside this Italian castle. Rosemary Kohler: I thought everybody grew up in a castle. Jennifer Matthews: Rosemary Kohler painted this picture herself. Rosemary Kohler: Those are the Alps in the back. Jennifer Matthews: And she later met her prince charming, George. But a few years ago, this princess didn't think her story would have a happy ending. Rosemary Kohler: I felt as if I'd lost at least 50% of my eyesight in about a month. Jennifer Matthews: Rosemary was diagnosed with wet Age-related Macular Degeneration or wet AMD. It's a condition where blood vessels in the eye grow and leak resulting in severe vision loss. Rosemary Kohler: I panicked. I called all my friends and cried my head off. Jennifer Matthews: But a cancer drug called Avastin has given Rosemary much of her vision back. It appears to work better than any other wet AMD treatment. Dr. Philip Rosenfeld: Never before were we able to tell our patients that you could actually see better after therapy. Jennifer Matthews: Dr. Philip Rosenfeld says, in a small study, patients saw vision improvements one week after the injection. This ridge shows fluid building up in the retina and how the retina flattens out after treatment. Dr. Philip Rosenfeld: I've had patients go from being legally blind, 20/200 or worse to being able to see 20/20 after receiving the drug. Jennifer Matthews: Rosemary is seeing about 20/40. Rosemary Kohler: I really feel that it saves my life. Jennifer Matthews: She's back to painting and hopes to live happily ever after. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.

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